Connector



Nov. 16, 1965 w. T. GEORGE CONNECTOR Filed DSG. 6, 1962 I-NIMIAI" llil lll /N VE NTU/P WARREN 7.' GEORGE BygM/g AT URNEY United States Patent O 3,217,917 CONNECTOR Warren T. George, 1611 Clark Ave., Billings, Mont. Filed Dec. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 242,875 1 Claim. (Cl. 21S- 100) This invention relates to a connector, and particularly relates to a connector which aids in transforming a disposable plastic container into a water sprinkler.

With the advent of inexpensive plastic bottles having large capacity and improved construction, the housewife is somewhat apprehensive about the discarding of such containers after only one use. Therefore, a principal objective of this invention is to enable a user of such containers to convert it to an extremely usable water sprinkler.

Water sprinklers in the average suburban community are most often used in areas where children are likely to recreate. Indeed, the sprinkler itself oftentimes is the object of play itself. The conventional market place sprinkler for the most part will operate only for short periods of time when subjected to such play.

Another very important objective of this invention is to provide a sprinkler made from an item normally discarded after its contents have been used.

A still further objective of the invention is to provide a plastic connector having an interior flange that functions as a washer seal for both the end of the iluid delivering conduit and the end of the container neck.

Another important objective is to provide a combined cap-connector which is marketed with the plastic bottle as a closure member, and converted to a conduit connector after the original purpose of the member has been accomplished.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a water sprinkler which permits the user thereof to select the type water spray he desires for the particular type watering that he desires.

These and other important objectives and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood upon a reading of the following specifications taken in view of the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is an exploded perspective view of the elements of this invention prior to their assembly;

FIGURE 2 is an assembled perspective; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of a cap-type Connector including the principal gist of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral indicates the assembled structure of this invention. The assembly generally includes a plastic liquid detergent bottle or the like 12 having its interior communicated with a lluid delivering conduit 14 via a connector 16.

The connector is comprised of a cylindrical body 18 having an interiorly directed annular washer or flange 20 intermediate its length dellning a fluid pass-through opening 22. At a first end of the connector there is formed a set of threads 24 adapted to mate with the conventional threads 26 of the home-use water hose 14. On the other side of llange 20 the connector 16 is provided with a set of wide ridge threads 28 adapted to mate with threads 30 of neck portion 32 of container 12.

Prior to assembling the unit, a plurality of apertures 34 are formed in the container by a large pin, ice pick, nail or any pointed instrument commonly found in the average household. It is apparent that the number and pattern of holes 24 are at the complete discretion of the person using the instrument.

The unit is assembled by merely threading the neck ICC 32 into threads 28 until the end 36 is in abutment with the surface 38 of the interior flange 20, and threading conduit 40 into threads 24 until the end 40 is in abutment with the surface 42 of flange 20. The container 12 and hose 14 are threaded toward each other until the ilange 20 is slightly compressed causing a seal between the ilange 20 and the ends 36 and 40. After assembly, the interior of the holes 14 is in communication with the apertures formed in the container 12. When water under pressure is delivered via the hose 14 the container will perform as a sprinkling system.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, there is shown a captype connector which embodies the basic improvement heretofore described. This embodiment is so constructed that it is serviceable as an enclosure cap when the container 12 is originally marketed. The FIGURE 3 device is substantially identical to the connector 18 except for the addition of an end member 50. It is further provided with a score line S2 which facilitates the removal of the end member 50 so that it may be transformed into a connector ident-ical to that indicated by the numeral 16. The FIGURE 3 closure member provides a cornplete seal for the contents originally marketed with the container 12.

As can be readily understood, the chamber 54 between the end member 50 and the llange 20 serves no useful purpose while the cap is utilized as an enclosure. As a further improvement the chamber 54 may be isolated from the interior of the container 12 by way of a thin membrane 56. Again, the membrane 56 is easily punctured and removed when the cap is converted into a connector element. It can be seen that there has been described an inexpensive item of manufacture which readily transforms a common plastic, commercial container into a serviceable sprinkling device.

In a general manner, while there has been disclosed an effective and eilloient embodiment of the invention, it should be well understood that the invention is not limited to such an embodiment, as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition, and form of parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claim.

`I claim:

A combined container and closure convertible into a Iconnector for connection to a lawn hose having an exterior thread at one end thereof, comprising a plastic container having an exteriorly threaded neck and an enlarged body portion, said body port-ion being of plastic material readily hand perforated by a pointed instrument thereby communicating the interior of said container to atmosphere, a plastic closure comprising a cylindrical body of substantial thickness and having a hose receiving end and a neck receiving end, an integral cap closing said hose receiving end but being removable to convert said closure to a connector, `a strengthened rib-like member comprising an inwardly directed annular llange intermediate the ends of said body defining a lluid pass-through opening, said flange being of substantial thickness and seating on the top of said neck, a puncturable membrane normally closing said fluid passthrough opening located within said flange prior to the removal of said cap, said membrane being of a thickness less than that of said flange, a first set of interior threads between said cap and said flange for mating with said exterior thread of a hose and a second set of interior threads between said ilange and said open end mating with said threaded neck, and said body having an exterior annular score about the surface thereof adjacent said cap such that the removal of said cap and the puncturing of said membrane converts said closure to a References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,475,908 11/1923 Walsh 220-27 y1,933,117 10/1933 Markle 285-3 10 2,110,237 3/1938 Parsons 21S-6 Scott 285-175 Kleid 21S-100 Platt 222-541 McFarland 222-541 Schneider et al. 21S-43 Jones 21S-43 yBauer et al. 285-2 Neel 220-27 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

